Oscillating sprinkler



Nov. 22, 19 R. w. HENNINGSEN 3, 86,9 9

OSCILLATING SPRINKLER Filed Feb. 11, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR: YMOND W. HENNINGSEN 3k" f r? +6 ATT'YS OSGILLATING SPRINKLER Filed Feb. 11, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

RAYMOND W HENNINGSEN I W,MIM

ATT'YS United States Patent 3,286,929 OSCILLATING SPRINKLER Raymond W. Henningsen, Lincolnwood, Ill., assignor to W. D. Allen Manufacturing Co., Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Filed Feb. 11, 1964, Ser. No. 344,133 6 Claims. (Cl. 239-442) This invention relates in general to a lawn sprinkler, and more particularly to a lawn sprinkler of the oscillating type having a water-driven motor for oscillating a sprinkler arm.

The sprinkler of the present invention includes generally a frame supporting a sprinkler arm and a water motor for oscillating the arm, wherein the water that is discharged from the sprinkler arm also serves to drive the water motor. A series of specially arranged reduction gears, and linkage means are provided between the output of the water motor and the sprinkler arm. More particularly, a frame is provided upon which one end of the sprinkler arm is pivotally mounted, and a turbine or water wheel housing is integrally formed with the frame. A water wheel or turbine shaft is mounted in the turbine housing and a turbine wheel or water wheelis secured to the shaft and positioned to be driven by water passing through the housing. One end of the turbine shaft is wholly contained within the turbine housing and the other end projects therefrom to connect with the reduction gearing arrangement. The turbine housing is constructed and closed so that no gaskets are used, thereby permitting a more inexpensive and trouble-free water motor, Further, the water motor housing is watertight and the gearing arrangement being outside thereof is not in any way subjected to the water used by the sprinkler. A worm is mounted on the turbine shaft and in engagement with a worm gear or wheel on an intermediate shaft. A second worm is mounted on the intermediate shaft in engagement with a second worm gear or wheel that is carried on the crankshaft. A crank arm on the crankshaft is connected to linkage and the oscillating sprinkler arm, whereby driv- Patented Nov. 22, 1966 oscillating lawn sprinkler having an oscillatable sprinkler I arm, a water motor, reduction gearing and linkage for driving the sprinkler arm, wherein no gaskets are needed throughout the sprinkler for assembly thereof and to prevent leakage of water.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed disclosure, taken in conjunction with the accompanying sheets of drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of anoscillating lawn sprinkler constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view, partially fragmentary, and particularly illustrating the drive motor and gearing arrangement and with portions broken away to show underlying parts;

FIG, 3 is a top plan view of the frame at the water motor end of the sprinkler, with parts broken away and several parts removed for purposes of clarity to show the relationship of the water mot-or relative to the water outlet and inlet of the sprinkler;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the water motor and gearing arrangement of the sprinkler;

FIG. 5 is a somewhat exploded perspective view of the power train of the gearing arrangement; and

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view, with some parts removed for purposes of clarity and other parts broken away, and taken substantially along line 66 of FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, the oscillating lawn sprinkler of the present invention includes generally a frame 10 suitably supported and seing of the water motor effects oscillation of the sprinkler arm. The manner in which the water motor is constructed is further unique in that the water wheel or turbine wheel itself functions to seal along the shaft opening.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved oscillating lawn sprinklert-hat is more economical to construct and more maintenance free.

Another object of this invention is in the provision of an oscillating lawn sprinkler that includes a water or turbine motor driving a reduction gear arrangement for oscillating a sprinkler arm, wherein the Water driving the turbine motor is only permitted in the turbine housing and not in contact with the gearing arrangement.

Still another object of this invention resides in the provision of a water or turbine motor for an oscillating sprinkler, wherein the motor is constructed in such a way as to eliminate the need of any gasketing material.

A further object of this invention is to provide a turbine motor for an oscillating lawn sprinkler in combination with a gearing arrangement wherein the motor and gearing arrangement is so related as to provide a small and compact structure for driving the sprinkler arm.

Still a further object of this invention is in the provision of a water motor for an oscillating lawn sprinkler, wherein the water wheel in the motor is so constructed and arranged relative to a gearing arrangement as to enhance the sealing ability of the motor. Another object of this invention is to provide an oscillating lawn sprinkler having a water motor wherein the motor path through the motor is straight through thereby enhancing the efiiciency thereof.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an cured to one end of a pair of parallel extending ground engaging runners 11, a sprinkler arm 12 pivotally mounted at one end to the frame 10 and at the other end to the support 13 that is supported on and secured to the other end of the runners 11.

The frame 10 is preferably made of suitable die-cast material, such as zinc or the like, and includes opposed legs 14 extending upwardly from the runners 11 to a horizontally extending plate member 15. At the end of the plate member 15 adjacent the sprinkler arm 12, a vertically extending wall member 16 is provided and having integral therewith a fitting 17 that pivotally mounts one end of the sprinkler arm 12. Also integral with the frame 10 and positioned in the plate member 15 is a water or turbine motor 18, that is substantially cylindrical in shape and positioned so that the axis thereof is vertical. Actually the water motor 18 extends partially above and partially below the plate member 15. A reduction gearing arrangement 19 is arranged above the plate member 15 and behind the vertical wall member 16. A vertical wall 20 extends upwardly from the plate member 15 at the periphery thereof from the opposite ends of the vertical wall-member 16, and is provided at the upper end thereof with a notched shoulder 21 that is adapted to receive the lower end of a cover member 22. The cover member is formed to enclose the water motor and gearing arrangement area, and is held in place by a single screw 23 engaging in an upstanding post 24 that is formed on the plate member 15, FIG. 2.

The housing for the water or turbine motor 18 is inverted cup-shape and includes an upstanding cylindrical wall 25 integrally formed in the plate member 15, and an upper horizontally extending wall 26 that is integral with the cylindrical side wall 25. A boss 27 is at the center of the upper wall 26 and provided therethrough with a bore 28. A sleeve bearing 29 is received intimately in the bore 28 and provided with a radial flange 30 to abut against the underside of the upper wall 26 around the periphery of the lower opening of the bore 28. A turbine or water wheel shaft 31 is rotatably received in the bearing 29.

The shaft 31 that may also be considered the drive shaft is further provided with a threaded portion 32 that threadedly engages in a threaded bore formed in the center of a water wheel or turbine wheel 33. A stub shaft portion 34, diametrically reduced from the threading portion 32, extends below the threading portion and is received in a blind bore 35 formed in a lower bearing 36. The lower bearing 36 is diametrically reduced at its lower end, thereby defining an annular shoulder 37. The bearing 36 is supported on a disc cover 38 that is provided in the center thereof with an opening 39 that receives the lower diametrically reduced end of the bearing 36 therein in press fit relation and so that the shoulder 37 bears against the upper face of the cover 38. The press fit relation between the bearing 36 and the cover 38 is watertight. The peripheral edge of the cover 38 abuts up against a shoulder 40 formed at the lower end of the side wall 25, and the very lower end is then rolled over at 41 to form a bead that locks the cover 38 to the motor housing 18 in sea-led relation therewith. Thus there is no need for any gaskets in order to close the bottom open end of the housing when assembling the water motor. The bearings 29 and 36 may be of any suitable material,

but preferably self-lubricating, and for example may be dense-grain powdered-bronze, oil impregnated.

A plastic washer may be inserted between the bearing flange 30 and the upper face 33b of the water wheel 33 for reducing frictional engagement between these surfaces. However, inasmuch as the water wheel will be constructed of plastic and preferably of nylon, sucha plastic washer may not be needed. a

The motor housing 18 is provided with a water inlet orifice 42 and a water outlet 43, both of which are axially aligned and arranged ofi center of the housing so that water from the orifice 42 impinges upon the blades 33a of the water wheel 33 for driving same and the water wheel shaft 31. The inlet orifice 32 is further positioned so that the water discharged therefrom would strike about in the center of the blades 33a of the water wheel.- The inlet orifice 42 communicates with a fitting 44 that is adapted to receive a hose 45, while the water outlet is in communication with a conduit integrally formed in the frame and in communication with the fitting 17 that receives one end of the sprinkler arm 12. Thus, water entering the fitting 44 proceeds through the inlet orifice 42, the motor housing 18 and out of the housing through the water outlet 43 to the end of the sprinkler arm 12 and ultimately out of the sprinkler arm.

A worm 46 is mounted on the upper end of the water whee'l shaft 31 and arranged in mesh-ing engagement with a worm gear or wheel 47 that is carried on one end of a' shaft 48. At the other end of the shaft 48, a worm 49 is provided that is in meshing engagement with a worm wheel or gear 50 carried on one end of a crankshaft 51. The crankshaft 51 is bearingly mounted in a boss 52 that is integral with the frame and mounted on top of the plate member 15.

Stub shaft portions 53 and 54 are provided at opposite ends of the shaft 48 and bearingly received in bearing blocks 55 and 56, respectively. The bearing blocks 55 and 56 are slidably received and held in upstanding spaced channel members 57 and 58.

The shaft 48 extends parallel to the plate member and perpendicular to the water wheel drive shaft 31 and is positioned above the plate member 15. The crankshaft 51 extends parallel to the plate member 15 and perpendicular to the shaft 48 and the shaft 31. A depression 59 is provided in the plate member 15 in order to define operating room for the worm wheel 50.

The water wheel 33 and shaft 31 are driven in a counterclockwise direction looking at the water wheel from counterclockwise direction looking at the side of the worm whee'l 50 that is visible in FIGS. 4 and 5. Inas much as the worm 46 on the shaft 31 is drivenin the direction indicated to drive the worm wheel 47,. an upward force is exerted on the water. wheel shaft 31 to pull the upper face 33b of the water. wheel 33 against the underside of the bearing flange 30 and in substantial seal ing relationship therewith. This action furtherenhauces the sealing abilities about the shaft 31 at the bearing 29.

The shafts 31 and 51 are preferably made of steel or brass, while the water wheel 33,. worm 46, shaft .48 with the worm wheel 47 and worm 49 thereon, and the worm Wheel 50 are preferably molded of plastic. Thus, the entire shaft 48 is integral with the worm wheel 47 and. worm 49, and the stub shaft portions 53 and 54. Preferably these parts are molded of nylon. bearing blocks 55 and 56 may be molded of plastic and nylon.

Reciprocal force on the sprinkler arm 12 is transmitted thereto from the crankshaft 51 by means of a linkage arrangement that includes a crank arm 60 mounted on the end of the shaft 51 opposite from the worm wheel 50-and on the other side of the vertical wall member 16, a link 61 pivotally connected at one end to the end of the crank arm 60 and adjustably connected at the other end to the outer end of a lever 62 that is secured to the sprinkler arm 12. Adjustment of the annular relation between the link 61 and the lever 62 varies the oscillating movement of the sprinkler: arm 12 during operation of the sprinkler. I

In view of the foregoing, it should be appreciated that the present invention provides an oscillating lawn water going through the sprinkler, and further wherein the entire operating mechanism for the sprinkler arm is Y compact and relatively maintenance free.

the top and in the view shown in FIG. 3 which drives the shaft 48 in a clockwise direction when looking at the worm wheel 37 on the side adjacent to the stub shaft portion 53. The crankshaft 51 is in turn driven in a It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention,

but it is understood that this application is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

The inventionis 'hereby claimed as follows:

1. An oscillating lawn sprinkler comprising, a frame, a sprinkler arm pivotally mounted at one end on said within the housing, said shaft projecting above said hous-.

ing, a stub shaft portion extending from the lower end of the shaft below said water wheel, a lower wall member secured along the lower edge of said side wall and having an'opening in the center thereof, a bearing secured in said opening and having a blind bore for bearingly receiving said stub shaft portion, an inlet orifice in said side wall adapted to be connected to a source of water, and an outlet in the side wall communicating with said sprinkler arm.

2. An oscillating lawn sprinkler comprising, a frame, a sprinkler. arm pivotally mounted at one end onsaid frame, means for oscillating said sprinkler arm including a water motor, said water motor having a housing including an inverted cup shaped body integral with said frame, said body having a vertically extending cylindrical side wall and an upper wall member, a bore in the center of said upper wall member, a bearing mounted in said bore, a water wheel shaft bearingly received in said bear? ing and having a water wheel secured thereto and received Similarly the,

within the housing, said shaft projecting above said housing, a stub shaft portion extending from the lower end of the shaft below said water wheel, a lower wall member at the lower edge of said side wall, the very peripheral edge of the side wall being rolled over the periphery of said lower wall member to secure it thereto, an opening in the center of the wall member, a lower bearing secured in said opening, said lower bearing having a blind bore bearingly receiving said stub shaft portion, an inlet orifice in said side wall adapted to be connected to a source of water, and an outlet in the side wall communicating with said sprinkler arm.

3. An oscillating lawn sprinkler comprising, a frame, a sprinkler arm pivotally mounted at one end on said frame, means for oscillating said sprinkler arm including a water motor, said water motor having a housing including an inverted cup shaped body integral with said frame, said body having a vertically extending cylindrical side wall and an upper wall member, a bore in the center of said upper wall member, a bearing mounted in said bore, a water wheel shaft bearingly received in said bearing and having a water wheel secured thereto and received within the housing, said shaft projecting above said housing, a stub shaft portion extending from the lower end of the shaft below said water wheel, the lower edge of said side wall having an annular recess on the inner face defining a downwardly facing shoulder and a relatively thin skirt portion, a lower disc-like wall member bearing against said shoulder and the skirt portion being rolled over the periphery of said lower wall member to lock it to the housing, a bearing carried 'by said lower wall member for bearingly receiving said stub shaft porrtion, an inlet orifice in said side wall adapted to be connected to a source of water, and an outlet in the side wall communicating with said sprinkler arm.

4. An oscillating lawn sprinkler comprising, a frame, a sprinkler arm pivotally mounted at one end on said frame, means for oscillating said sprinkler arm including a water motor, said Water motor having a housing including an inverted cup shaped body integral with said frame, said body having a vertically extending cylindrical side wall and an upper wall member, a bore in the center of said upper wall member, a bearing mounted in said bore, a water wheel shaft bearingly received in said bearing and having a water wheel secured thereto and received within the housing, said shaft projecting above said housing, a stub shaft portion extending from the lower end of the shaft below said water wheel, the lower edge of said side wall having an annular recess on the inner face defining a downwardly facing shoulder and a relatively thin skirt portion, a lower disc-like wall member bearing against said shoulder and the skirt portion being rolled over the periphery of said lower wall memher to lock it to the housing, an opening in the center of said lower wall member, a lower bearing secured in said opening, said lowerbearing having a blind bore bearingly receiving said stub shaft portion, an inlet orifice in said side wall adapted to be connected to a source of water, and an outlet in the side wall communicating with said sprinkler arm.

5. An oscillating lawn sprinkler comprising, -a frame,

side wall and an upper wall member, a bore in the center of said upper Wall member, a bearing mounted in said bore, a water wheel shaft bearingly received in said bearing and having a water wheel secured thereto and received within the housing said shaft projecting above said housing, a stub shaft portion extending from the lower end of the shaft below said water wheel, the lower edge of said side wall having an annular recess on the inner face defining a downwardly facing shoulder and a relatively thin skirt portion, a lower disc-like wall member bearing against said shoulder and the skirt portion being rolled over the periphery of said lower wall member to lock it to the housing, an opening in the center of said lower wall member, a lower bearing secured in said opening, said lower bearing having a blind bore bearingly receiving said stub shaft portion, an inlet orifice in said side wall adapted to be connected to a source of water, and an outlet in the side wall communicating with said sprinkler arm, said inlet orifice and said outlet being aligned and off-center of said housing so the water discharged from the inlet orifice impinges substantially the center of each of said blades.

6. An oscillating lawn sprinkler comprising, a frame having a cylindrical turbine housing integral therewith, said housing having an upstanding axis with upper and lower walls and a vertically extending drive shaft bearingly mounted coaxially with the housing axis and extending through said upper wall, a flanged bearing in the upper wall of said housing for receiving said drive shaft, a turbine wheel within said housing on said shaft, a water inlet and a water outlet integral with said frame and in communication with said housing whereby water passing from the inlet to the outlet drives said turbine wheel and drive shaft, a sprinkler arm pivotally mounted on said frame and in communication with said outlet, and means interconnecting said drive shaft and sprinkler arm for oscillating said arm including a worm on said drive shaft in spaced relation to and above said turbine wheel, a horizontal shaft perpendicular to said drive shaft having a worm wheel on one end in engagement with the worm of said drive shaft and a worm on the other end thereof, a crankshaft mounted on said frame below said horizontal shaft and perpendicular thereto and to the drive shaft, a worm wheel on one end of said crankshaft in engagement with the worm on the horizontal shaft and a crank on the other end thereof, said turbine wheel, drive shaft worm and meshing worm wheel being arranged so that rotation of the drive shaft exerts an upward force thereon to cause the turbine Wheel to sealingly engage the flanged bearing, and linkage interconnecting said crank and sprinkler arm.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,673,122 3/ 1954 Wehner 239-242 2,808,292 10/1957 Gladstone 239-l20 2,886,250 5/1959 Smith 239- 2,932,457 4/1960 Ballard 239242 2,969,922 l/ 1961 Butler 239242 3,005,592 10/ 1961 Smith 239-242 3,055,595 9/1962 Bohn 239242 M. HENSON WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner.

EVERETT W. KIRBY, Examiner.

D. L. MOSELEY, V. C. WILKS, Assistant Examiners. 

1. AN OSCILLATING LAWN SPRINKER COMPRISING, A FRAME, A SPRINKLER ARM PIVOTALLY MOUNTED AT ONE END ON SAID FRAME, MEANS FOR OSCILLATING SAID SPRINKLER ARM INCLUDING A WATER MOTOR, SAID WATER MOTOR HAVING A HOUSING INCLUDING AN INVERTED CUP SHAPED BODY INTEGRAL WITH SAID FRAME, SAID BODY HAVING A VERTICALLY EXTENDING CYLINDRICAL SIDE WALL AND AN UPPER WALL MEMBER, A BORE IN THE CENTER OF SAID UPPER WALL MEMBER, A BEARING MOUNTED IN SAID BORE, A WATER WHEEL SHAFT PROJECTING ABOVE SAID HOUSING AND HAVING A WATER WHEEL SECURED THERETO AND RECEIVED WITHIN THE HOUSING, SAID SHAFT PROJECTING ABOVE SAID HOUSING, A STUD SHAFT PORTION EXTENDING FROM THE LOWER END OF THE SHAFT BELOW SAID WATER WHEEL, A LOWER WALL MEMBER SECURED ALONG THE LOWER EDGE OF SAID SIDE WALL AND HAVING AN OEPNING IN THE CENTER THEREOF, A BEARING SECURED IN SAID OPENING AND HAVING A BLIND BORE FOR BEARINGLY RECEIVING SAID STUB SHAFT PORTION, AND INLET ORIFICE IN SAID SIDE WALL ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO A SOURCE OF WATER, AND AN OUTLET IN THE SIDE WALL COMMUNICATING WITH SAID SPRINKLER ARM.
 6. AN OSCILLATING LAWN SPINKLER COMPRISING, A FRAME HAVING A CYLINDRICAL TURBINE HOUSING INTEGRAL THEREWITH, SAID HOUSING HAVING AN UPSTANDING AXIS WITH UPPER AND LOWER WALLS AND A VERTICALLY EXTENDING DRIVE SHAFT BEARINGLY MOUNTED COAXIALLY WITH THE HOUSING AXIS AND EXTENDING THROUGH SAID UPPER WALL, A FLANGED BEARING IN THE UPPER WALL OF SAID HOUSING FOR RECEIVING SAID DRIVE SHAFT, A TURBINE WHEEL WITHIN SAID HOUSING ON SAID SHAFT, A WATER INLET AND A WATER OUTLET INTEGRAL WITH SAID FRAME AND IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID HOUSING WHEREBY WATER PASSING FROM THE INLET TO THE OUTLET DRIVES SAID TURBINE WHEEL AND DRIVE SHAFT, A SPRINKLER ARM PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME AND IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID OUTLET, AND MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID DRIVE SHAFT AND SPRINKLER ARM FOR OSCILLATING SAID ARM INCLUDING A WORM ON SAID DRIVE SHAFT IN SPACED RELATION TO AND ABOVE SAID TURBINE WHEEL, A HORIZONTAL SHAFT PERPENDICULAR TO SAID DRIVE SHAFT HAVING A WORM WHEEL ON ONE END IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE WORM OF SAID DRIVE SHAFT AND A WORM ON THE OTHER END THEREOF, A CRANKSHAFT MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME BELOW SAID HORIZONTAL SHAFT AND PERPENDICULAR THERETO AND TO THE DRIVE SHAFT, A WORM WHEEL ON ONE END OF SAID CRANKSHAFT IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE WORM OF THE HORIZONTAL SHAFT AND A CRANK ON THE OTHER END THEREOF, SAID TURBINE WHEEL, DRIVE SHAFT WORM AND MESHING WORM WHEEL BEING ARRANGED SO THAT ROTATION OF THE DRIVE SHAFT EXERTS AN UPWARD FORCE THEREON TO CAUSE THE TURBINE WHEEL TO SEALINGLY ENGAGE THE FLANGED BEARING, AND LINKAGE INTERCONNECTING SAID CRANK AND SPRINKLER ARM. 